Combination crib and cradle



Feb. 1, 1938, K A 2,106,927

COMBINATION CRIB AND CRADLE Filed May 19, 1937 as 35 1Q 1 70192522? WWyAFIW/ceM Patented Feb. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to cribs for small children, which cribs are commonly supported on legs and casters so that they may be easily moved about. It is at times desired to rock a child which is wakeful and restless, and it is also desirable that the child shall not be distrubed after it has fallen asleep.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved crib and cradle, so constructed that it may be rocked like a cradle when so desired, and that it may be quickly converted into the usual type of crib when rocking is not desired.

To the attainment of this general object, I provide a combination crib and cradle having rockers at the ends thereof, together with special frame members pivoted to the crib body and having spaced legs adapted to engage the floor adjacent the rockers and to thereby prevent rocking motion when in lowered position.

In the preferred form, these legs are provided with casters and support the rockers clear of the floor, thus permitting convenient movement of the crib from place to place.

I also provide effective means for holding the leg frame members in lowered operative position or in raised inoperative position, as desired.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved crib, with the leg frame members in lowered or pera tive position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 butshowing the leg frame members in raised or inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is an end view, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation, taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional plan View, taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation, taken along the line 66 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a combination crib and cradle comprising corner posts l0, end boards ll, upper and lower side rails l2 and M, and side spindles 15. It will be understood that a suitable spring or mattress support of any usual type is provided, but as this support forms no part of my invention, it is omitted for the sake of clearness.

Rockers are mounted in the lower ends of the corner posts Ill. When the crib rests on the rockers 20, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the crib may be rocked back and forth with a cradle motion and a child reposing in the crib may be thus quieted.

Leg frame members are provided at each end of the crib and are preferably of the strongly braced construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, each frame member comprising upright legs 3|, diagonal braces 32 and a cross brace 33. Preferably the lower end of each leg 3| is provided with a suitable swivel caster 35.

The frame members 30 are pivotally mounted between the lower side rails M in any convenient manner, as by dowels 31. The legs 3| and casters 35 are preferably of such combined height that the rockers 20 will be raised only slightly above the floor, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, when the frame members 30 are in lowered or operative position. Hooks Ml on the legs 3| engage studs 4| on the inside faces of the corner posts l0, and the frame members 30 may thus be held firmly in operative position.

When the crib is to be used as a cradle, the frame members 30 are swung upward between the lower side bars M, as shown in Fig. 2, and are retained in raised position by spring latches 42 (Fig. 6). Each latch 42 is preferably formed of a single strip of flat spring steel or other spring metal, bent to the form shown in Fig. 6 and secured to the inner face of the side bar M by screws 43.

As the frame members 30 are swung upward, the latches 42 yield to permit such upward move ment and then snap into place under said frame members and thereafter hold said members in raised position. When the frame members are to be lowered, the latches are readily displaced by pressing inward on the inclined downward extensions 42 thereof, which extensions are also engaged by the legs 3| as the frame members are raised, the latches being thereby displaced inward to clear the legs.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have provided a very simple construction by which a crib may be converted into a cradle or a cradle into a crib with very slight effort and without any substantial upward movement or other disturbance of the cradle. Furthermore, I have provided a construction by which the frame members 30 are entirely concealed between the side bars M when not in use.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A combined crib and cradle having fixed corner posts, side bars between said posts, rockers fixed to the lower ends of said posts, frame members comprising spaced leg portions pivoted between said side bars to swing upwardly to inoperative position and to swing downwardly to provide crib-supporting members, said leg portions being of a length to support the cradle substantially in normal elevation, whereby the cradle may be converted into a crib without any substantial upward movement of the cradle, and spring latches on said bars eifective to yieldingly and automatically receive said frame members when said members are swung upward and toretain said members in raised position between said side bars.

portions of the corner posts and rockers, thereby permitting the cradle to be converted into a crib without any substantial upward movement of the cradle.

' MARY A. KINNEAR. 

